Bortell suffers from epileptic seizures at least twice a week. Her family said that the oil, which is extracted from cannabis plants, has been the best treatment for her condition thus far.

A bill introduced in the state Senate and House late last month would allow for cannabis oil to be sold within the state by licensed distributors.

But her father, Dean Bortell, said that the bill would not help his daughter. If signed into law, the measure would not take effect until 2018, and patients would only be allowed to use the low-level drug after exhasuting every other form of treatment for their condition.

“We’re gonna have to move,” he told WFAA. “We’ll begin preparations for the actual physical move from this location to Colorado, and we’ll begin treating her in late June.”

Alexis already holds a Colorado “red card,” enrolling her in the state’s medical marijuana registry and thus permitting her to get the oil.

“This may or may not work, but it hurts to know that there’s something out there that could help her and we can’t get access to it because of our ZIP code,” her father said. “We kind of feel like we failed her.”

No date has been set for Alexis’ testimony before the legislature, but she is expected to appear before the end of the current session.

About the Author

Arturo R. García is the managing editor at Racialicious.com. He is based in San Diego, California and has written for both print and broadcast media, including contributions to GlobalComment.com, The Root and Comment Is Free. Follow him on Twitter at @ABoyNamedArt